DN Speak

Friday, September 12, 2014

The U.S. Added More New Capacity For Solar Than For Natural Gas In The First Half Of 2014

The EIA said natural gas was the winner in terms of most new capacity additions in 2014, but Greentech Media says the agency ... Read more

Thursday, September 11, 2014

Airman must swear 'so help me God' or leave Air Force

In her letter, Monica Miller, an attorney with the AHA's Appignani Humanist Legal Center, said the airman should be given the choice to re-enlist by swearing a secular oath. She said the AHA will sue if the airman is not allowed to re-enlist...

http://www.wbir.com/story/news/nation/2014/09/10/airman-refuses-say-so-help-me-god/15384169/

History Books Becoming Next Fight in Texas Schools

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) - The next ideological fight over new textbooks for Texas classrooms intensified Wednesday with critics lambasting history lessons that they say exaggerate the influence of Moses in American democracy and negatively portray Muslims.

http://www.kristv.com/news/history-books-becoming-next-fight-in-texas-schools/

Pastors turning to atheism find sanctuary in online community

The Internet has long been a safe place for religious devotees to discuss the doubts that sometimes accompany their faith. Now, hundreds of pastors, ministers and church leaders have found one website to be a sanctuary when doubt turns into disbelief.

http://www.wptv.com/news/national/pastors-turning-to-atheism-find-sanctuary-in-online-community

100% Proof That God Exists (Like 2 + 2 = 4)

Debunking the modal ontological argument...

http://youtu.be/QOrsN9BcvEw

How we're responding to the ISIL threat (The White House)

Good evening,
I just addressed the nation about what the United States will do with our friends and allies to degrade and destroy the terrorist group known as ISIL.
Let's be clear: While this group may call itself the "Islamic State," it is not "Islamic." No religion condones the killing of innocents, and the vast majority of ISIL's victims have been Muslim. Nor is it a "state." It is not recognized by any government, nor by the people it subjugates.
This is nothing but a terrorist organization with no vision or goal other than to slaughter all who stand in its way. While we have not yet detected specific plotting against our homeland, these terrorists have threatened America and our allies. And the United States will meet this threat with strength and resolve.
Already, our military has conducted more than 150 successful airstrikes over the past month against ISIL targets in Iraq -- strikes that have protected American personnel and facilities, killed hundreds of ISIL fighters, and helped save the lives of thousands of innocent men, women, and children.
Going forward, our objective is clear: We will degrade, and ultimately destroy, ISIL through a comprehensive and sustained counterterrorism strategy.
Here is what that strategy looks like.
First, we will conduct a systematic campaign of airstrikes against these terrorists. Working alongside the Iraqi government, we'll expand our efforts beyond protecting our own people to hit ISIL targets as Iraqi forces go on offense. And we will continue to hunt down terrorists who threaten our country, whether in Iraq or Syria. They will learn what leaders of other terrorist organizations have already learned: If you threaten America, you will find no safe haven.
Second, we will increase our support to the forces fighting these terrorists on the ground. We will send an additional 475 service members to Iraq to support Iraqi and Kurdish security forces. These American forces will not have a combat mission. But they are needed to support Iraqi and Kurdish forces with training, intelligence, and equipment -- and tonight, I again called on Congress to give our military the additional authorities and resources it needs to train and equip the Syrian opposition fighters.
Third, working with our partners, we will continue to draw on our substantial counterterrorism capabilities to prevent ISIL attacks. Working with our partners, we will redouble our efforts to cut off its funding, counter its warped ideology, improve our intelligence, strengthen our defenses, and stem the flow of foreign fighters into and out of the Middle East.
And fourth, we will continue to provide humanitarian assistance to the innocent civilians displaced by this terrorism organization. This includes Sunni and Shia Muslims who have borne the brunt of this terror, as well as tens of thousands of Christians and other religious minorities.
I have the authority to address the threat from ISIL. But I believe we are strongest as a nation when the President and Congress work together. So I welcome congressional action to support this effort in order to show the world that Americans are united in confronting this danger.
This mission will not be like the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. It will not involve American combat troops fighting on foreign soil. This effort will be a steady and relentless approach to take out terrorists who threaten us, while supporting our partners on the front lines.
This is American leadership at its best: We stand with people who fight for their own freedom. And we rally other nations on behalf of our common security and common humanity.
When American forces helped prevent the massacre of civilians trapped on Mt. Sinjar, here is what one of them said:
"We owe our American friends our lives. Our children will always remember that there was someone who felt our struggle and made a long journey to protect innocent people."
That is what the United States of America does. That is the difference we make in the world. And moving forward, our own safety and security depends upon our willingness to do what it takes to defend this nation, and uphold the values that we stand for.
Thank you,
President Barack Obama

The White House • 1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW • Washington, DC 20500 • 202-456-1111

http://youtu.be/KvRd17vXaXM

Frank Turek vs "Atheism"

http://youtu.be/1NyTFqJUZPQ

Maternity Death Rates Are Very High In The U.S., But Congress Doesn't Seem To Care

"...In 2013, 18.5 mothers died for every 100,000 births in the U.S—a total of nearly 800 deaths. Nationwide, black American women are four times as likely to die during childbirth than white women, according to Amnesty International..."

http://www.alternet.org/maternity-death-rates-are-very-high-us-congress-doesnt-seem-care

Teenagers who smoke marijuana daily are over 60 percent less likely to complete high school than those who never use.

They're also 60 percent less likely to graduate college and seven times more likely to attempt suicide. Those are the startling conclusions of a new study of adolescent cannabis use. ...

...many of the problems associated with teen cannabis use are likely a function of the drug's illegal status..."

Read more

Closing The Public Purse: Christian Campus Ministry ‘De-Recognized’ By Calif. Public Colleges Over Discriminatory Policies

"At the end of the day, InterVarsity is just another fundamentalist group that wants to receive taxpayer money without any strings. It doesn’t work that way. If they want public money, they’re going to have to play by the rules. If they want to discriminate, then they can’t get public support...."
... Read more

Cenk Rips Bloodthirsty Conservatives’ ‘Boom Boom Boom’ Strategy On ISIS

"In an otherwise solid and informative segment about ISIS on Sunday morning’s Face the Nation, Peggy Noonan used her grownup words to describe the potential for effective airstrikes against the Sunni militants.

“It’s one thing to send U.S. guys in there for intelligence, for guidance, for some leadership,” Noonan said. “That’s different from, ‘Hey guys, let’s invade a nation and do nation building.’ ISIS is a specific threat. We probably know of fifty targets on which we can go boom boom boom. Yes, there will have to be human beings on the ground. But this doesn’t have to be hundreds of thousands of Americans invading a country in which we’re not wanted.”"... Read more

Former Murray Energy Worker: I Was Fired Because I Wouldn’t Donate To GOP Politicians

Murray allegedly sent letters to employees at the Marion County Mine, asking them to support pro-coal candidates for political ... Read more

Republicans Are Fine With Obama Ignoring Them If It Involves Bombs

What was that about Obama's "imperial presidency"? The post Republicans Are Fine With Obama Ignoring Them If It Involves Bombs ... Read more

Wednesday, September 10, 2014

Duck Dynasty Patriarch: Sexual Diseases Are God’s ‘Penalty’ For Homosexuality

"Either it's the wildest coincidence ever that horrible diseases follow immoral conduct, or, it's God saying, 'There's a ... Read more

Colorado Gubernatorial Candidate Promises To Seize And Sell America’s National Parks, Forests And Public Lands

Republican nominee Bob Beauprez said in the first gubernatorial debate that "this is a fight we have to wage."The post Colorado ... Read more

Local 4 Poll: Mark Schauer gaining on Rick Snyder; Gary Peters increases lead over Terri Lynn Land

The Detroit News-WDIV (Local 4) poll shows Snyder leading Schauer 43.6 percent to 41.8 percent, which is within the margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points. Schauer gained seven percentage points since The News last surveyed the governor’s race in late May...

http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20140909/POLITICS01/309090155/Poll--Michigan-governor-s-race-close--Peters-widens-lead

http://www.clickondetroit.com/news/local-4-poll-mark-schauer-gaining-on-rick-snyder-gary-peters-increases-lead-over-terri-lynn-land/27959094

Rick Santorum Presents Latest 'Religious Persecution' Movie

"...One Generation Away" is described as a documentary, but it’s really a preaching-to-the-choir call to arms for conservative Christians and pastors to get more involved in culture war battles while they still have the freedom to do so. Among the film’s producers are Donald and Tim Wildmon from the American Family Association, which Santorum said is packaging a shorter version of the movie into more of an activist tool..."

http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/rick-santorum-presents-latest-religious-persecution-movie

Santorum: Call Secularism A Religion So We Can Ban It From Public Schools | Free Speech TV

Claiming that the absence of religion is itself a religion, Santorum said that Christians must reassert themselves and insist that Christianity "should be taught in the schools" instead of worrying about offending people...
https://t.freespeech.org/text/santorum-call-secularism-religion-so-we-can-ban-it-public-schools

http://youtu.be/TK3gNTUZzkc

Streaming now on Netflix: The Unbelievers

What are you willing to believe?

The Unbelievers is a 2013 documentary film that follows Richard Dawkins and Lawrence Krauss as they speak publicly around the globe about the importance of science and reason in the modern world, encouraging others to cast off religious and politically motivated approaches toward what they think to be important current issues. The film includes interviews with influential people and celebrities such as Stephen Hawking, Ayaan Hirsi Ali, Sam Harris, Cameron Diaz, Woody Allen, Penn Jillette, Ian McEwan, and David Silverman.

http://www.netflix.com/WiMovie/70293728?trkid=13641790

Letterman Needles Chuck Todd With New Show Segment

David Letterman has debuted a new segment in honor of Chuck Todd's listening skills. As he says, you've got to be on it, paying attention to every wo... Read more

Fox's Latest Conspiracy Theory: White House Asked Them To Stop Lying About Benghazi

As Karoli already discussed last week, Fox is now moving the goal posts on their BENGHAZI!!!! "scandal" and whether there was a "stand down order" giv... Read more

Senate Votes To Open Debate On Constitutional Amendment To Reverse Citizens United

"The Supreme Court is helping [corporations] buy elections." - Sen. Elizabeth Warren On Tuesday, the Senate voted 79-18 to open debate on a constitut... Read more

http://youtu.be/DFFLVCXIUF8

Georgia State Senator: Voting Is Too Convenient For Black People

Not only is State Senator Fran Millar incensed about the idea of making it easier for African-Americans to vote, he's willing to invoke the church-sta... Read more

House Republicans Cut Administration Funding Request To Fight Ebola

Remember this the next time Republicans start ranting about 'dirty immigrants' and more. There are some things this country does really well, and one ... Read more

Georgia GOPer Complains About Early Voting, Excessive Black Voting

A Republican state senator in Georgia has vowed to end Sunday balloting in DeKalb County due to the fact that the area is "dominated by African Americ... Read more

Cruz Open To Using Government Funding Bill To Deport Dreamers

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX), notorious for pushing the federal government to shut down in 2013, seems open to doing so again this year. Cruz on Tuesday said... Read more

Sunday's wildfire at Yosemite NP, USA [1680x1121][OS] by Darvin Atkeson

"Looking through the viewfinder the scene was surreal and epic at the same time. Destruction of some of the best and most popular trails in Yosemite."
Read more

Georgia State Senator Complains That Voting Is Too Convenient For Black People (Updated)

Georgia state Senator Fran Millar (R) vowed to do everything he can to stop Sunday early voting and an early voting location ... Read more

Tuesday, September 9, 2014

Victor Dominocielo: Pseudo-Skepticism and Anti-Science — ‘There’s Just So Much We Don’t Know’

"In our society today, there are three major pseudo-skeptical and anti-science movements: creation “science,” climate change pseudo-skeptics and the anti-vaccination movement...."

http://www.noozhawk.com/article/victor_dominocielo_pseudo_skepticism_and_anti_science

God Just Trolled the Westboro Baptist Church So Hard

A new billboard was unveiled in Topeka, Kansas on Monday. The advertiser? God.

http://mashable.com/2014/09/08/god-loves-gays/

Barely Literate? How Christian Fundamentalist Homeschooling Hurts Kids

The Religious Right touts homeschooling as the "responsible" educational choice. But what about the kids whose parents opt-out of the system -- and out of educating them, as well?

"...Garrison believes that homeschooling has become so popular with fundamentalist Christians because, “there is an atmosphere of real terror among some evangelicals. They are horrified by the fact that Obama is president, and they see the New Atheist movement as a vocal, in-your-face threat. Plus, they are obsessed with the End Times, and believe that the Apocalypse could happen any day now...They see a demon on every corner.

“We homeschooled because we wanted to protect our children from what we viewed as the total secularization of America. We listened to people like Rush Limbaugh, who told us that America was in the clutches of evil liberal feminist atheists.”

http://www.alternet.org/education/barely-literate-how-christian-fundamentalist-homeschooling-hurts-kids?page=0%2C6&paging=off&current_page=1#bookmark

Interview: Atheist Group Launches National Campaign Against “Under God” In “Pledge Of Allegiance”

A self-described atheist group launched a national awareness campaign on Monday to protest the phrase “under God” in the “Pledge of Allegiance”.
“The idea that this is some kind of ceremonial deism, that it’s some kind of meaningless thing that doesn’t actually have to refer to anything that is religious, is something that most Americans realize is a sham,” Roy Speckhardt, the executive director of the American Humanist Association, said to TRNS in an interview.

http://www.talkradionews.com/religion/2014/09/08/interview-athiest-group-launches-national-campaign-god-pledge-allegiance.html

Why I’m Absolutely Not Islamophobic

A Presbyterian minister calling Christians to wage war against our Muslim neighbors has Jesus all wrong.

http://www.faithstreet.com/onfaith/2014/09/08/why-im-absolutely-not-islamophobic/33977

Smoking Before Fatherhood May Raise Asthma Risk in Kids: Study

"...The results showed that asthma was much more common in children whose fathers were smokers before conception. A child's risk of asthma increased if the father smoked before age 15, and the risk grew the longer the father smoked..."

http://www.philly.com/philly/health/topics/HealthDay691392_20140908_Smoking_Before_Fatherhood_May_Raise_Asthma_Risk_in_Kids__Study.html

Don't Say the Pledge: AHA's Dave Niose

American Humanist Association legal director David Niose explains that public school students can't be forced to paticipate in the Pledge of Allegiance. Learn more at www.dontsaythepledge.com

http://youtu.be/NejigaCItMg

Don't Say the Pledge: Humanists Are Good Americans Too

http://youtu.be/L_gz0BgA03A

What My Bike Has Taught Me About White Privilege | A Little More Sauce

"...So when I say the semi driver is privileged, it isn’t a way of calling him a bad person or a man-slaughterer or saying he didn’t really earn his truck, but just way of acknowledging all that–infrastructure, laws, gov’t, culture–and the fact that if he and I get in a collision, I will probably die and he will just have to clean the blood off of his bumper. In the same way, talking about racial privilege isn’t a way of telling white people they are bad people or racists or that they didn’t really earn what they have.

It’s a way of trying to make visible the fact that system is not neutral, it is not a level-playing field, it’s not the same experience for everyone..."

http://alittlemoresauce.com/2014/08/20/what-my-bike-has-taught-me-about-white-privilege/

"Obamacare" from the perspective of a mental health care provider

"...The Affordable Care Act makes it possible to re-engage the ideal of our professions by seeing anyone who comes through our doors because now anyone can pay. The clinician no longer has to grapple with working for free or depriving someone of their basic human needs." ... Read more

Bacteria from bees possible alternative to antibiotics

13 lactic acid bacteria found in the honey stomach of bees have shown promising results. The group of bacteria counteracted antibiotic-resistant MRSA in lab experiments. The bacteria, mixed into honey, has healed horses with persistent wounds.
Read more

Congressman Says Everyone Should Be Free To Smoke And Fire Gay People

"Do you want the government to come in and tell you you need to hire somebody? Why should government be there to impose on the ... Read more

Scrap Metal Facility Where Worker Died Had Never Been Inspected By Safety Regulators

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has deemed a scrap metal company to be a "severe violator" of safety rules ... Read more

Video Shows NYPD Officers Taking Turns Beating Man After He Asked Why He Was Being Searched

The NYPD has launched an investigation into the incident involving Santiago Hernandez.The post Video Shows NYPD Officers Taking ... Read more

Senate Advances Constitutional Fix To Overturn Citizens United

A Democratic-led constitutional amendment to overturn Citizens United and subsequent rulings loosening restrictions on money in politics moved forward... Read more

Wendy Davis Reminds Us Who Exactly Is Allowed To Talk About Their Abortions

It's important to remember that Davis' abortion story is a relatively safe one.The post Wendy Davis Reminds Us Who Exactly Is ... Read more

Super rich are getting super richer

"...In its Study of Consumer Finances, released every three years, the Fed found that the wealthiest 3% of American households controlled 54.4% of the nation's wealth in 2013, a slight increase from its last survey in 2010. It's also substantially higher from the 44.8% they held in 1989, showing how quickly the income divide has been growing over the past decade or so..."
Read more

Dinesh D'Souza Throws Himself On The Mercy Of The Court

Dinesh D'Souza faces a couple of years in jail for his role in making sure his Senate candidate had plenty of money. But in the classic conservative "... Read more

Monday, September 8, 2014

The devil, you say? Satanists say they're peaceful sect

DETROIT — A new religious group aims to bring the devil to Detroit.

http://www.indystar.com/story/news/nation/2014/09/06/detroit-satanists-say-theyre-peaceful-sect/15219129/

‘Duck Dynasty’ star urges Christians to convert atheist friends with Nicolas Cage movie

“It’s a warning to those, if it happened today, would be left behind, and I believe people are going to make that life-changing decision to follow Christ on the way home from the theater on Oct. 3,” Robertson said. “Let’s all make sure we bring some friends and family to see this movie – people who need to see to believe.”

http://youtu.be/uibpQ-W8XQg

Study: One-Third of Americans Support Changing Pledge of Allegiance

“The current wording of the Pledge marginalizes atheists, agnostics, humanists and other nontheists because it presents them as less patriotic, simply because they do not believe in God,” said Roy Speckhardt, AHA executive director, in a press release.

http://www.newsmax.com/US/Pledge-of-Allegiance-American-Humanist-Association-Pledge-poll/2014/09/05/id/592822/

Dear Neil Cavuto, the United States is not a Judeo-Christian nation, and that’s OK

"...We invaded the Philippines causing tens of thousands to die and other horrible atrocities because President William McKinley received word from god that those people should be Christianized. Is that how we want our country to be? Do we want decisions based on logic and reason with a spirit of individual rights and liberties for all people, or do we want to be led by the voices in someone’s head telling them what they want to hear under the disguise of god? Do we want a president to lead with his brain or his knees?

The United States engaged in World War II because Franklin Delano Roosevelt didn’t “turn the other cheek.” We engaged in war because we didn’t “love our enemy.” We completely discarded the “thou shall not kill” commandment. It’s time for Christian nationalists to be honest. Our Constitution bears extremely little if any resemblance to the Bible. The Bible is not how we conduct policy. No matter how much we print god on our money, or force it in our Pledge, or find other ways to ram it down the throats of our kids, it’s not what this country was founded on. We can do so much better, and it’s time to do better...?

http://www.chicagonow.com/an-agnostic-in-wheaton/2014/09/dear-neil-cavuto-the-united-states-is-not-a-judeo-christian-nation-and-thats-ok/

Thomas L. Friedman: Why the U.S. can’t intervene to destroy ISIS — yet

"...U.S. President Barack Obama has been excoriated for declaring that “we don’t have a strategy yet” for effectively confronting the Islamic State in Iraq and Al-Sham, or ISIS. In criticizing Obama for taking too much time, Congressman Mike Rogers, the Republican chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, told Fox News Sunday that, “this ‘don’t-do-stupid-stuff’ policy isn’t working.” That sounded odd to my ear — like we should just bomb somebody, even if it is stupid. If Obama did that, what would he be ignoring?..."

http://fullcomment.nationalpost.com/2014/09/08/thomas-l-friedman-why-the-u-s-cant-intervene-to-destroy-isis-yet/